Connect with Nature at Colonial Park Gardens ‘Forest Bathing’

The Colonial Park Gardens staff will present a unique program, “Forest Bathing,” on Sunday, September 9 at the Colonial Park Gardens, Parking Lot A. The program will run from noon to 2:00 P.M.

The Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, which translates as “forest bathing”, is intended to help foster a connection with nature that feeds the mind, body, and spirit.  Off The Grid Yoga instructor Lauren Theis will lead a forest bathing experience at Colonial Park Gardens with an easy, slow hike through the gardens and arboretum and a gentle yoga session suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners. The program will also include mediation and centering sessions intended to encourage the nurturing qualities of being present within nature. Participants are encouraged to bring a small blanket or towel to sit on, water, and suitable shoes for walking.

The fee is $20 per person with a limit of 12 people. Pre-registration is required by September 5 by calling (908) 722-1200 ext. 5721 or going online at www.somersetcountyparks.org. Participants are asked to meet at the entrance of the Colonial Park Rose Garden, Lot A.

The Colonial Park Gardens include the five-acre Perennial Garden that provides year-round horticulture interest. In spring, the garden comes alive with the colors and fragrances of daffodils, lilacs, daphnes and pinks. Late spring and summer bring added color and form to the garden. Irises, peonies, roses, lilies, and coreopsis bloom among the many perennials and shrubs. In autumn, asters, ornamental grasses and butterfly bushes reach their peak bloom. Evergreens and winterberry hollies provide interest well into the winter months. Amid green lawns and beds of colorful perennials, bulbs, trees, and shrubs, lies the focal point of the garden, the gazebo.

The Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden is one-acre in size and contains more than 3,000 roses of 325 varieties. The garden was named in honor of Rudolf W. van der Goot, the first horticulturist with the Somerset County Park Commission, as a tribute to his efforts in designing and developing the garden.

From late spring through fall, the roses present a kaleidoscope of color, form, and fragrance. Visitors can view popular modern hybrids, species, and various classes of Old Garden Roses. All roses are clearly labeled for easy identification and only roses that thrive in central NJ are kept in the rose collections.

Information on this and other Park Commission programs and activities may be found online at www.somersetcountyparks.org or by calling (908)-722-1200.

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